1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously processing powdered materials into grains or granules for the production of medicines, foodstuffs or the like. Such apparatus is hereinafter referred to as a "continuous granulator".
2. Prior Art:
There have been proposed numerous types of continuous granulators constructed to process powdered materials to continuously produce grains or granules. The proposed granulators generally include a discharge conveyor for the delivery of the treated or produced granules from the inside of the granulator. The produced granules are then fed into a separator or classifier by means of which only the granules of a desired grain size are collected as a final product.
The known granulators are satisfactory in that the final product has a relatively uniform grain size. On the other hand, the known granulators have a drawback that the productivity is low since the granulation, discharge and classification processes are carried out successively at separate processing stations.